Omar Evans was tried and found guilty by a jury of felony murder, malice murder, aggravated assault, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon relating to the shooting death of Dharren Henderson.1 Among other things, Evans contends on appeal that the trial court made a number of improper evidentiary rulings and that he received ineffective assistance of trial counsel. For the reasons set forth below, we affirm. 1. Viewed in the light most favorable to the verdict, the record shows that, on March 11, 2010, Dharren Henderson the victim and his brother, Darnell Henderson Henderson, went to a shopping plaza off Six Flags Drive in Cobb County to eat lunch. As they were walking into a restaurant, Evans, whose nickname was “Tic,” gave them a dirty look. Evans and the victim exchanged words. Henderson and the victim went into the restaurant to order food, the victim briefly stepped outside, and when the victim returned, he told his brother that Evans had “tried him.” Henderson and the victim then went back to their car. After a moment, the victim got out of the car to smoke a cigarette. Henderson next heard the victim and Evans arguing loudly outside the car. When Henderson got out of the car to try to calm things down, he saw Evans “raise his hand up” and heard gunshots.2 Henderson saw the victim fall to the ground. Fearing that Evans would also shoot him, Henderson jumped in his car and drove away. After realizing that Evans was not following him, Henderson returned to the parking lot. The victim had been shot five times and died from gunshot wounds to the head and torso. Henderson initially refused to cooperate with police, claiming that he intended to seek personal revenge against Evans. Henderson eventually capitulated, and he later informed the police that Evans was the shooter and identified Evans in a photo line-up.
Several witnesses testified to seeing Evans in the plaza the day of the shooting. Maurice Stephens, who was getting a haircut at the time of the shooting, saw Evans standing outside the barber shop shortly before the shooting. After the shooting, Stephens ran outside and heard Henderson’s brother yelling “Tic shot my brother.”
